The Social Network 'friends' US box office

Facebook movie gets top billing

Facebook movie The Social Network boasted the most friends at the cinema this weekend, bagging a number one opening spot that reaped $23m in gross revenue.

That means the flick’s made back almost half of its $50m budget in just three(ish) days, and could be the beginning of something special for David Fincher’s hard-sell flick – which has been receiving some very enthusiastic word of mouth.

Sadly, the other new openers this weekend didn’t fare quite so well. Matt Reeves’ remake of Swedish vampire flick Let The Right One In , titled Let Me In , was always going to be difficult to move thanks to the universal adoration of the original.

But the indignity it suffered this weekend meant that not only did it open in the number eight spot (with $5.3m), but it also got beaten by Renee Zellweger’s dreadful Case 39 , which debuted at number seven ($5.35m). Here’s hoping the great word of mouth will buoy the re-vamp at next week’s box office.

As for the rest of the top ten... Zack Snyder’s hoot-fest Legend Of The Guardians held firm in second place ($10.8m), Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps dropped from first to third ($10.1.m), The Town slipped one place to fourth with an even $10m and Emma Stone’s Easy A jumped up a spot to fourth ($7m).

Meanwhile, the M. Night Shyamalan-produced Devil slipped to ninth ($3.6m) and animated yawn-fest Alpha And Omega clung on to tenth place with a dismal $3m.